Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 21 January 2018

This report is for the media and the general public.

Between the evenings of 19 and 20 January, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and fewer in Luhansk region compared with the previous reporting period. Between the evenings of 20 and 21 January, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and more in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM saw two men with bullet wounds near a bus station close to a checkpoint near Olenivka. It continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska, Zolote and Petrivske; it recorded ceasefire violations assessed as inside the Petrivske disengagement area. The SMM’s access remained restricted in all three areas and elsewhere. Near non-government-controlled Sakhanka, the SMM was verbally assaulted by a visibly intoxicated.* The SMM saw weapons in violation of the withdrawal lines on both sides of the contact line. The SMM visited three border areas outside of government control. 

In Donetsk region, the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations[1] between the evenings of 19 and 20 January, including, however, fewer explosions (about 240), compared with the previous reporting period (about 340 explosions), and fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 20 and 21 January, including about 195 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

On the evening of 19 January, while in “DPR”-controlled Horlivka (39km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 45 undetermined explosions, about 100 bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire and about nine minutes of uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of small-arms fire, all 2-6km south.

On the evening of 19 January, while in government-controlled Svitlodarsk (57km north-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard an explosion assessed as an impact 7-10km south-south-west, seven explosions (one assessed as the impact of a recoilless gun (SPG-9) round (73mm) and the remainder undetermined) and about 1,000 bursts and shots of infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) (BMP-2) cannon (30mm), heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, almost all 3-5km east. The following evening, while in Svitlodarsk, the SMM heard 24 undetermined explosions and over 600 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 2-7km east and south-east.

On the evening and night of 19-20 January, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station (15km north of Donetsk) recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from east to west, three projectiles from west to east and four projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of 32 undetermined explosions and about 120 projectiles in flight (65 from west to east and about 55 from east to west), all 0.5-1.5km south.

During the day on 20 January, positioned on the south-western edge of government-controlled Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk) for over five hours, the SMM heard about 100 undetermined explosions and more than 100 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 3-6km at directions ranging from east to south-west.

During the day on 20 January, positioned at the railway station in “DPR”-controlled Yasynuvata (16km north-east of Donetsk) for about four hours, the SMM heard 16 undetermined explosions 2-6km west and north-west. Positioned at the south-western edge of Yasynuvata for about one hour, the SMM heard 11 undetermined explosions and about 80 bursts and shots of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire, all 1-6km west.

On the evening and night of 20-21 January, the SMM camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station recorded, in sequence, two projectiles in flight from east to west, four undetermined explosions and two projectiles from east to west, followed by totals of 30 undetermined explosions and 72 projectiles in flight (62 from west to east and ten from east to west), all 0.5-1.5km south. In the afternoon on 21 January, the camera recorded 30 projectiles from west to east 0.5-1.5km south.

On the evening and night of 20-21 January, the SMM camera 1km south-west of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol) recorded, in sequence, 23 projectiles in flight from east to west, seven projectiles from west to east, a projectile from east to west and an undetermined explosion, all 5-8km north. During the day on 21 January, the same camera recorded, in sequence, three illumination flares in vertical flight, four projectiles from east to west, one from west to east and nine from east to west, all 5-8km north.

During the day on 21 January, positioned at the central railway station in “DPR”-controlled Donetsk city (6km north-west of the city centre) for about 20 minutes, the SMM heard 133 undetermined explosions 3-4km north-east.

During the day on 21 January, positioned at a checkpoint on the south-western edge of “DPR”-controlled Olenivka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of small-arms fire 1-2km west-south-west and six undetermined explosions 2-4km west-south-west.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations between the evenings of 19 and 20 January, including three explosions, compared with the previous reporting period (about 24 explosions) and more between the evenings of 20 and 21 January, including 29 explosions, compared with the previous 24 hours.

During the day on 21 January, positioned on the south-western edge of “LPR”-controlled Kalynove (60km west of Luhansk), the SMM heard 26 explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of IFV (BMP-variant) cannon 3-4km south-west.

The SMM saw two civilian casualties near a “DPR” checkpoint in Olenivka. On 21 January, upon arriving at a checkpoint on the south-western edge of Olenivka at 12:30, the SMM was accompanied by an armed “DPR” member in military-style clothing to a bus stop 40m north of the checkpoint. The SMM saw a hole in a window on the driver’s side of a bus, which the SMM assessed as caused by a bullet. The SMM later saw another bullet hole on the same side of the bus. The SMM saw that the bus, which was facing north, had 40-50 passengers on board. The SMM had earlier seen the bus about 50m south of this checkpoint, travelling north. The SMM assessed that the bus was hit by small-arms fire originating from a westerly direction. Then, the “DPR” member accompanied the SMM to an “emergency service” tent next to the bus stop, where the SMM saw two men (both 58 years old): one had blood covering the left side of his face and was holding gauze to it and the other had gunshot wounds in his neck and left cheek. The SMM saw medical staff trying to resuscitate the latter man who was losing blood heavily and had trouble breathing. On the way out from the tent, at 13:36, the SMM heard uncountable overlapping bursts and shots of small-arms fire about 1-2km west-south-west, followed by at least six explosions about 2-4km at the same direction (see above section on ceasefire violations). Before departing from the area, the “DPR” member told the SMM that the man with the gunshot wounds in his neck and left cheek had died and that the other man had been transported to a hospital in Donetsk.

On 22 January, at the Donetsk trauma hospital, medical staff told the SMM that the first abovementioned male had been admitted on 21 January with a wound in his neck and jaw, and added that the bullet was still lodged inside him and the man’s jaw was broken. Medical staff also said that the patient had been then transferred to hospital no. 1 in Donetsk city. The SMM is continuing to follow up on the incident.

The SMM continued to monitor the disengagement process and to pursue full access to the disengagement areas near Stanytsia Luhanska (16km north-east of Luhansk), Zolote (60km west of Luhansk) and Petrivske (41km south of Donetsk), as foreseen in the Framework Decision of the Trilateral Contact Group relating to disengagement of forces and hardware of 21 September 2016. The SMM’s access remained restricted but the Mission was able to partially monitor them.*

On the evening of 19 January, the SMM camera at the Prince Ihor monument south-east of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge (15km north-east of Luhansk) recorded an undetermined explosion 70m north, assessed as outside the disengagement area.

During the day on 20 January, while on the eastern edge of Stanytsia Luhanska, the SMM heard three undetermined explosions and saw a white flare 5-7km south-south-west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 20 January, positioned 2km south-east of government-controlled Zolote, the SMM heard an undetermined explosion and two bursts of small-arms fire 4km west, all assessed as outside the disengagement area.

On 20 January, positioned in “DPR”-controlled Petrivske, the SMM heard 39 bursts of small-arms fire 2-4km west-south-west, assessed as inside the disengagement area.

The SMM continued to monitor the withdrawal of weapons in implementation of the Package of Measures and its Addendum as well as the Memorandum.

In violation of withdrawal lines, in government-controlled areas, the SMM on 20 January saw a surface-to-air missile system (9K33 Osa) close to a residential area in Klynove (68km north-east of Donetsk) and two self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) and two anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm) at the train station in Kostiantynivka (60km north of Donetsk).  

In violation of withdrawal lines, in areas outside of government control, the SMM saw on 20 January an anti-tank gun (MT-12) in a compound in Makiivka (12km north-east of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in government-controlled areas, the SMM saw, on 12 January a self-propelled howitzer (2S3 Akatsiya, 152mm) near Zachativka (74km south-west of Donetsk). On 20 January, the SMM saw three stationary tanks (T-64) south of Volnovakha (53km south of Donetsk), four towed howitzers (D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm) and an anti-tank gun (MT-12 ) towed by armoured personnel carriers (APC) near Khlibodarivka (65km south-west of Donetsk), and at least five self-propelled howitzers (2S1) near Kalynove (formerly Kalinine, 65km south-west of Donetsk). On 21 January, the SMM saw three anti-aircraft guided missile systems, without missiles, loaded on trailers near Zaliznianske (79km north of Donetsk).

Beyond withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites, in an area outside of government control, the SMM on 20 January saw a tank (T-72) near Kruhlyk (31km south-west of Luhansk).

The SMM observed armoured combat vehicles (ACV)[2] and other indications of military-type presence in the security zone. In government-controlled areas, the SMM on 12 January saw 11 IFVs (BMP-2) near Novotroitske (36km south-west of Donetsk). On 20 January, the SMM saw two ACVs (BREM-type) on flatbed trucks near Opytne (63km north-east of Donetsk), an IFV (BMP-2) loaded on a flatbed truck near Zaitseve (50km north-east of Donetsk) and a reconnaissance vehicle (BRDM-2) and four IFVs (two BMP-1 and two BRM-1K) near Popasna (69km west of Luhansk). On 21 January, the SMM saw an IFV (BTR-4) near Makarove (19km north-east of Luhansk).

In areas outside of government control, the SMM on 20 January saw an APC (type unknown) in Petrivske and two IFVs (BMP-2) near Smile (31km north-west of Luhansk).

Outside the security zone, in government-controlled areas, the SMM on 12 January saw an APC (BTR-60) being towed near Holubytske (60km south-west of Donetsk), ten IFVs (BMP-2) near Khlibodarivka, four IFVs (BMP-2) near Zachativka and 33 IFVs (BMP-2) near Kalynove and, on 15 January, 12 IFVs (BMP-2) and two APCs (MT-LB) near Khlibodarivka.

On 21 January, the SMM saw, for the first time, a mine hazard sign with red Russian letters against a white background reading “Mines. Entry forbidden” on the fence of a building on road H20 about 5km east of Donetsk city centre. Next to the sign, the SMM saw two armed “DPR” members in military-type clothing wearing helmets and body armour.

The SMM continued to monitor the situation of civilians at entry-exit checkpoints. On 19 January, at the entry-exit checkpoint in government-controlled Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM at 11:00 saw about 150 people waiting in a queue at the identification documents control windows to enter government-controlled areas. The SMM noted that only two of the nine windows were operational. A man in his sixties who was travelling towards government-controlled areas told the SMM that it takes a full day to travel across the contact line at that entry-exit checkpoint. He added that he had arrived at 06:00, before the checkpoint opened, and was still waiting in a queue at 11:15.

At a checkpoint near “DPR”-controlled Kreminets (16km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM saw pedestrians waiting outside under heavy rain due to lack of a shelter.

The SMM monitored the situation of civilians living close to the contact line. On 18 January, inhabitants of a five-storey apartment building in government-controlled Maiorsk (45km north-east of Donetsk) told the SMM that due to a leaking pipeline – damaged by shelling since 2014 –water did not reach their apartments.  The SMM saw residents collecting water from a leaking pipe in the basement of their building. They added that they boiled the water to make it pottable. A representative of the Maiorsk military-civil administration told the SMM that the repair of the damaged pipeline located between positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the armed formations was pending security guarantees from the non-government-controlled side.

The SMM visited three border areas not under government control. During about 90 minutes at a border crossing point near Uspenka (73km south-east of Donetsk) the SMM saw four trucks with covered cargo areas (three with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates), 28 cars (11 with Russian Federation and nine with Ukrainian licence plates, and eight with “DPR” plates) and a bus exiting Ukraine, and 28 cars (11 with Russian Federation, eight with Ukrainian and one with not visible licence plates, and eight with “DPR” plates), six trucks with covered cargo areas (four with Ukrainian and one with not visible licence plates, and one with “DPR” plates) and ten pedestrians (mostly women in their fifties and sixties) entering Ukraine. The SMM also saw ten covered cargo trucks (eight with Ukrainian and one with Russian Federation licence plates and one with “DPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine.

During about 45 minutes at a border crossing point near Izvaryne (52km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw 33 cars (25 with Ukrainian, four with Russian Federation, one with German and one with Lithuanian licence plates, and one with “LPR” plates and one with “DPR” plates) in a queue to exit Ukraine. During this time, three cars (one with Russian Federation and two with Ukrainian licence plates), a bus with Ukrainian licence plates, and 20 pedestrians (men and women of different ages) exited Ukraine while two cars and a bus, all with Ukrainian licence plates, and 15 pedestrians (men and women aged 30-50) entered Ukraine.

During half an hour at a border crossing point near Sievernyi (50km south-east of Luhansk), the SMM saw four pedestrians entering Ukraine.

The SMM continued monitoring in Kherson, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv, Dnipro, Chernivtsi and Kyiv.

*Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate

The SMM’s monitoring and freedom of movement are restricted by security hazards and threats, including risks posed by mines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and other impediments – which vary from day to day. The SMM’s mandate provides for safe and secure access throughout Ukraine. All signatories of the Package of Measures have agreed on the need for this safe and secure access, that restriction of the SMM’s freedom of movement constitutes a violation, and on the need for rapid response to these violations. They have also agreed that the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) should contribute to such response and co-ordinate mine clearance. Nonetheless, the armed formations in parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions frequently deny the SMM access to areas adjacent to Ukraine’s border outside control of the Government, citing orders to do so. (See, for example, SMM Daily Report 12 January 2018.) The SMM’s operations in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remain restricted following the fatal incident of 23 April 2017 near Pryshyb; these restrictions continued to limit the Mission’s observations.

Denial of access:

Related to disengagement areas and mines/UXO:

• Both on 20 and 21 January, the SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads south of the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. An “LPR” member positioned on the southern side of the Zolote disengagement area told the SMM that no demining had taken place during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed.
• Both on 20 and 21 January, the SMM was prevented from accessing secondary roads in the Zolote disengagement area due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he had no information regarding de-mining in the area during the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC on both days.[3]
• Both on 20 and 21 January, the SMM was prevented from accessing parts of the Stanytsia Luhanska disengagement area, with the exception of the main road, due to the possible presence of mines and UXO. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC told the SMM that he had no information regarding demining activities over the previous 24 hours. The SMM did not consider it safe to proceed and informed the JCCC on both days.4
• Both on 20 and 21 January, the SMM did not travel across the bridge in government-controlled Shchastia (20km north of Luhansk) due to the presence of mines. A Ukrainian Armed Forces officer of the JCCC said there were mines on the road south of the bridge. The SMM informed the JCCC on both days.4

Other impediments:

On 20 January, positioned about 2km south-east of “DPR”-controlled Sakhanka (24km north-east of Mariupol), the SMM saw a car (red Lada) with Ukrainian licence plates skidding and swerving as it accelerated past two SMM vehicles that were parked on the side of the road. About 40m from the SMM position, the car turned around and drove towards the SMM vehicles and stopped 3m in front of the SMM so that passage was blocked. The driver, visibly intoxicated, exited the car wearing military-style clothes with “DPR” insignia and carrying a 12cm knife attached to his belt. He approached two of the SMM members who were standing outside the vehicles and started shouting vulgar accusations at the SMM. After 20 minutes, the man showed the SMM a “DPR identification card” and said that he was Russian and that the SMM was not welcome. He then drove away.

 

[1] For a complete breakdown of the ceasefire violations, please see the annexed table. Two SMM cameras continue to be tested until the end of January 2018.

* Please see the section at the end of this report entitled “Restrictions of SMM’s freedom of movement or other impediments to fulfilment of its mandate”.

[2] This hardware is not proscribed by the provisions of the Minsk agreements on the withdrawal of weapons.

[3] The SMM informed Ukrainian Armed Forces officers of the JCCC. Russian Federation Armed Forces officers of the JCCC have withdrawn from the JCCC as of 18 December 2017.